Savoy Cabbage restaurant in Cape Town raised the most money for StreetSmart in 2017, at over R100000, its diners’ contribution helping to raise a total of R1,1 million over the year, all of which monies will go to organisations uplifting street children. The Top 10 contributing StreetSmart restaurants in 2017 were:

#. Savoy Cabbage in Cape Town, raising R113,965

#. La Mouette in Cape Town, which raised R95,322

#. Foliage in Franschhoek, raising R59,700

#. Chatters Bistro in Knysna, which raised R40,461

#. Nonna Lina in Cape Town, raising R40,020

# Gold Restaurant in Cape Town

# The Roundhouse n Cape Town

# Jordan Restaurant in Stellenbosch

# The Fat Fish in Plettenberg Bay

# Aubergine in Cape Town.

‘Being in the top 5 is something I am extremely proud of. We engage our customers on StreetSmart at every opportunity, and this has resulted in some extremely generous donations from philanthropically minded guests’, said Caroline Bagley, owner of Savoy Cabbage.

The 94 participating StreetSmart restaurants add R5 to the bill of their patrons, which money is collectively handed over to the organisation. Once a year SteeetSmart hands over the funds to the institutions which look after vulnerable children, to prevent them from becoming street children.

In the past year StreetSmart has expanded its contribution base with accommodation and wine tasting establishments contributing monies via their clients too.

‘The decision to branch out from a purely restaurant driven campaign developed organically at the request of owners of wine farms, guest houses and hotels who expressed interest in becoming involved and joining the StreetSmart SA community. In addition to the 94 restaurants throughout South Africa where patrons can make a voluntary R5 donation added to their bill, guests at an increasing number of wine tasting rooms, B&B’s, guest houses and hotels are now also able to make a contribution. All funds raised support organisations working with street children within the area where the establishments are located’, says the media statement.

StreetSmart SA was set up in 2005 by a group of concerned Capetonians under the patronage of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and comprises board members representing business and the hospitality and tourism industries. Similar StreetSmart organisations also run independently in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Germany and The Netherlands.

As the majority of my writing is restaurant-focused I have chosen StreetSmart as the beneficiary fund-raising entity to share 50% of the proceeds of sales of my book ‘SwitchBitch: My journey of transformation from Sour to Sweet!’ with.